Last May, White showcased 3D printing in his classrooms by assigning “his students a project to design and 3D print CO2 race cars which they were then tasked with racing against one another for…supremacy.Since [then], White [says] that he has had teachers from all around the country contact him about the project.”

But White wasn’t satisfied, so he developed what he has dubbed as “THE Printed Jelly Bean Dispenser.”As Mr. White explained, “I really enjoy taking old/classic woodworking projects and turning them into functional and modern 3D printed designs.I happened to stumble upon some pictures of an old wooden jelly bean dispenser, which is what I loosely based my design on.I was also looking for a project to show my students how to complete a basic assembly drawing using Autodesk Inventor.”

“My design takes roughly 6 hours to print out every part – depending on your settings of course.I also wanted my dispenser to be very easy to use so small children could use it.I plan on bringing the dispenser to events to promote my CAD class and 3D printing in general, and it will be a very fun and interactive object for people to use.”

White used his own Aluminum Mendel 3D printer along with one of his school’s flexMendel 3D printers in order to create the dispenser.“Once it is assembled after being 3D printed, you throw in some jelly beans or other small candy through an opening at the top.Then you simply turn the knob and watch as the candy drops down and into your…hands.”

Mr. White, however, is already looking to the future: “I plan on redesigning this machine a little and adding an adjustable shaft and knob as well as creating a Plinko style Dispenser.I try to focus my CAD lessons on practical problems while also challenging my students in fun and innovative ways.”